Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 14: To ask the Minister for Finance the current status of the European Commission's proposal to introduce a common consolidated corporate tax base; if he will provide details of his ongoing engagement with the Commission and other member states on the proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9908/12]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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On 16 March 2011 the European Commission, which has the right of initiative to bring forward legislative proposals, published its proposal for a Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base. This represented the beginning of a process that will involve a detailed examination of the proposal, line by line, by all Member States at the Council Working Group. Since the Commission's proposal has been published, Department of Finance officials, along with officials from the Revenue Commissioners have been attending the Working Party on Tax Questions which is the forum for discussions on the proposal. To date, my officials have attended meetings on almost a monthly basis in relation to the proposal.

It is expected that Ecofin will be presented with an update on the current state of play with regard to the negotiations at its meeting in May.

Both I and the Government have made it clear that Ireland, like all other Member States, intend to actively engage in that process because only in that way can we absolutely ensure that all of the arguments are brought to the table.

I want to assure the Deputy that it is clearly understood that our engagement is strictly on the basis that taxation is a matter of national competence and that the principle of unanimity in taxation is fully respected.